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What is it that makes watching housewives interact such compelling viewing?

Real Housewives spinoffs have become a ubiquitous part of the TV landscape, letting viewers peek into the worlds of well-off American women in places such as Beverly Hills, New York and Atlanta. Internationally, the franchise airs in Greece, Israel and Canada.

Since the Housewives of Orange County debuted in 2006 it has become an estimated half-billion-dollar franchise for Bravo Television in the U.S., an unexpected hit from a trifle of an idea.

For many it is a guilty pleasure: silly TV for silly people.

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The shows provide a window into the lives of women who belong to the 1 per cent and the microcultures of the cities they live in.

One could advance the theory that with the allure of daytime soap operas waning, following the lives of these housewives has become the new soap; that reality is more interesting than the most outlandish fiction.

That’s certainly true for women in the coveted 18-49 bracket and a good deal of men, too.

And the unexpected power of the franchise has allowed the women to create their own brands, shilling everything from books to alcohol to sex toys.

The most successful so far has been New York housewife Bethenny Frankel, who has created her own TV shows and managed to publish four self-help books. In 2011, she sold her sideline business, the Skinnygirl cocktail brand, for a reported $100 million.

The first Canadian spinoff of the series, The Real Housewives of Vancouver, became Slice TV’s highest rated show when it debuted in 2012.

The Canadian version hews close to the formula of rich girls behaving extremely badly and trash talking each other, which perhaps explains its success.

But this is entertainment, not reality, so while Vancouver may have one of North America’s largest Asian populations per capita, don’t expect to see that reflected here. Also, some of the key stars are transplanted Americans, including a new addition this season who hails from Texas. But why quibble? They all happen to live in Vancouver.

“The show is pretty much onside with the franchise,” says Mary Zilba, one of the Vancouver housewives, in a Toronto interview. “I think some people expected Canadian women to be different than their American counterparts. But it doesn’t matter where you’re from. I think when you put strong personalities together sparks will fly.”

Sitting beside Zilba in the Bloor St. offices of Shaw Media are Ronnie Negus and Jody Claman.

But there is already tension in the air.

Claman, who has become something of a villainess in the series with her witchy demeanour and Broom Hilda hair, has sued Zilba for saying that she sells “used” Hermes merchandise in her Vancouver store. In outtakes from the second season, she calls Zilba a “whore.”

The Season 1 finale ended with Negus swearing she would never speak to Claman again. It is the stuff of high drama. Or at least a good docu-soap.

But here they are. Are they still friends?

The tension is palpable. This does not seem to be an act.

“We’ve had some difficulties, there are some difficult people” says Claman.

“Some are more difficult than others,” says Zilba.

Claman looks at Negus in exasperation.

“Well, we’re all here today and we are all sitting down together,” volunteers Negus.

“We are castmates so we are making an appearance, let’s put it that way,” says Claman.

In Season 2, Ferrari-driving Reiko Mackenize and party girl Christina Kiesel are gone, replaced by three new cast mates.

“They had a lot of things they wanted to do. Christina wanted to travel. Reiko wanted to move on. The show can be stressful. It can be a lot of work,” says Zilba.

Negus says she likes the new vibe.

“There are new people, new personalities, new dynamics. It makes it more interesting, I think,” she says.

The new cast members are:

Loulia “I’m not a mail order bride” Reynolds is a 26-year-old Russian-born Vancouverite married to a wealthy venture capitalist almost 20 years her senior. She is focusing on a career as an art dealer while looking after four stepkids.

Amanda Hansen is described as “bad girl gone good,” a recovering alcoholic and mother of three. A self proclaimed sex-addict, Hansen says she has given up her partying ways.

Former Texan Robin Reichman is living off a healthy divorce settlement with two nannies and a country chic lifestyle. “Rules are meant to be broken” she says, bemoaning the fact that Vancouver women are too rules-obsessed.

Asked why her friend Mackenzie left, Claman says tersely, “She was never my friend. She was part of the cast.”

So does she think she’s being portrayed fairly on the show?

“It’s a show. I’m a business person. If I was truly an evil villain I’d be bankrupt,” she says.

Meanwhile, Negus says fans have been mostly positive.

“There are some people who will sit behind their computers and make rude remarks, but for the most part it’s been good.”

Zilba, who has come across as the bullied school kid in a pack of alpha females, says reaction to her has been positive.

“Everyone has been incredibly sweet.”

It’s not hard to see why housewives have become the new 21st-century soap stars.

Drama, conflict, tension are all essential elements in a good story. And in the Canadian version, the casting has been picture perfect from the bullied housewife, to the nasty villainess, the happy party girl and the trophy wife.

Vancouver meanwhile, will never be the same. Could Toronto be far behind?

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